scott



E. B. SCOTT.

METHOD 0F DRYING AND TRAY FOR USE IN THE PERFORMANCE THEREOF.

APPLlcATloNFlLEn Dsc. 24. 1919.

Patented Mar. 14,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 44

Sme/wko@ Unire STATES EARL IB. SCOTT, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS PATENT OFFICE.

6c COMPANY, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

METHOD GF DRYING ANDTRAY FOR USE IN THE PERFORMANCE THEIR/EOF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application filed December 24, 1919. Serial No. 347,208.

To all ifi/rom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, EARL B. Sco'i'T, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the` county of Essex and State' ot New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Method of Drying and Tray for Use in the Performance Thereot', of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method ot drying articles such as bristles, and to a tray for use in the carrying out of the method. Bristles and Icharacteristically similar articles have a tendency to not -dry straight, for 'example hog bristles have a tendency to 4resume their natural curve, and also are liable to deterioration of color and texture when subjected to long continued heating. By the present method bristles can be dried straightaiid without deterioration in coloi' and texture, the method comprising the steps oi'.' combing the bristles straight and holding them straight during the drying; and separating the bundle of bristles to be dried into a large number of small separated groups or tufts, whereby the drying medium can' effectively and quickly reach all the iiidividual bristles, thereby reducing the drying time to a minimum. By the use of a tra)v cu'ibodying the invention, as it relates to apparatus, the method can be carried out conveniently and satisfactorily.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a method whereby bristles, and character-V istically similar articles, can be dried straight and without deterioration.

Another object is to provide a tray by the use ot which the above indicated method can be conveniently carried out.

To these ends, and also to innn'ove generally upon methods and devices ot the character indicated, my invention consists in the mat-ters hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawiiigsz Figure l is a plan view of a tray embody ing the invention, as it relates to apparatus, the .combs being omitted;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view ot the tray illustrated in Figure l, taken substan- 'tially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, and

showing a comb in place in substantially the position it would occupy were bristles present, but with the bristles omitted to avoid confusion.

Figure 3 is a iragmental sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4L is a plan view of the tray illustrated in Figure l, filled with bristles and with the combs in place;

Figure 5'is a plan view of' a tray having the inventive characteristics ot the tray illustrated in Figures l to l, but consisting of a plurality ot' bays, detailed illustration of the bottom of the tray proper, and also illustration ol the combs for all'but one bay, being` omitted for simplicity;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a somewhat modified tray, the combs being omitted, and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional View of the tray illustrated in Figure G, substantially on the line 7 7 of Figure 6, and showing a comb fixed in final position.

To avoid lack of clearness in the figures the spacing and size oi the teeth yof the combs, and oi the apertures in the bottoni, are exaggerated with respect to the size ot the frame.

I shall first describe the tray, and, then, the method as carried out with the aid of the tray.V

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4; inclusive The illustrated tray comprises aftray proper, receptacle, oi container, l, and? a series ot three positioning-separators, or combs, 2. The bottoni 3 ot the receptacle is provided with apertures (Figure l) including a series of spaced rows "l, of toothreceiving apertures 5, the apertures ot diiierent rows being in alignment. Each comb 2 has its teeth (3 spaced in correspondence with the spacing of rows i, the rows el being equally spaced in the present instance, and the teeth being coriesi'iondingly equally spaced. The combs are each ot a length permitting them to he received between the sides la of the receptacle frame and have their teeth of a size to fit in the apertures 5 with a small side-to-side clearance and with a somewhat greater iront-to-back clearance, the series of teeth being, of course, so located on the backs 7 of the combs that when the backs are received between the sides l the teeth shall register with the apertures 5. Desirably the height ot' each .comb is somewhat greater than the over-all height of the receptacle l, and the teeth are of less height than the frame.

In carrying out the method. with the aid of' the tray the procedure is preferably as follows (see Figure 4);--111 suitable quantity .oil bristles B is placed in the receptacle .or tray proper, then the central comb applied to the bristles, its teeth positioning theinaud initiating the separation o1? them into alarge number ol? small groups ortutts, and the teeth are inserted in the proper ro xv ot apertures 5 across the Vreceptacle to lix the y,

comb. Next, the second comb is inserted in thebristles at the side ot the central comb, with its teeth in alignment with the teeth ofthe centralv comb and conforming yto the grouping initiated by the central comb; then it is pulled to the extreme butt ends oi the bristles, this action rcombing thebristles ystraight .and carryingwforward the separation initiated,l by the central comb, and its teethl are then inserted ,in certainot the apen y tures ivherebythe `comb isfiiigedin position to holdlthebristle's. (in moving the comb it inay,`f-conveniently, be somewhat inclined from the vertical and in the direction 'of travel, toffacilitate its, passing ,the apertures inthe bottom). Lastly, the third comb sired manner, preferably by blowing dryingy air vat regulated temperature through. the

tray. It Will' be understood that thei order of ,introducing andvr`ymanipulating the combs can, of course, be varied if desired; also, the combing step, `may bev .performed more than once With a comb, kbeforefixing the comb,r

if for Aany reason it be` desired. With the above procedurey the bristles are separated into alargenumber of small groups or tufts-in practice the teeth of a comb .are p r inch apartmwhich groups are quickly ,and thoroughly penevtrated by the dryingair, so that the bristles heating, are, eliminated.

"are combed out straight.and held straight,

can; be dried very quickly, cthefdrying taking 1n Isome cases less'fth'an'an hour, instead of the 'threelor four. daysi ort-hel old practice;

and `previous difficulties, such as deterioration in colorand `texture. dueI toprolonged Also, the'yljristles the combingaction' straightening out he bristles in a highly satisifactory'ivay andthe -combs being a simple and satisfactory ineans for holding`- the bristles straight.

The 'frame' o yof p the receiver ymay V,d esirabl y be oivoodhndthe bottom be of perforatedbrafss'attachedto the 'trame in `any suitable'manner, yas by Wood screws 8. l-Vhile tlireetcombs .have been referred to. it Willbe i understood any.,suitable..l number desi r- The incense able for carrying out the objects of the invention may be used.

Iii' desired, a tray embodying the invention may be made to include a series oit' bays each .of suitable size to receive the bristles to be treated and each furnished with combs, such al tray being, in effect, a number of structurally joined trays similaito the singie. trayk described above. A tray of this type isv illustrated somewhat conventionally in Figure 5, 'Where the tray 9 is shown as having eight bays. Inpractice each bay is furnished with ,three combs, as 10, similar to the ycombs 2 and lsimilarly fitting into the apertures of the bottom. Various` other ,modifications` may beadopted; For example, .in vthe structure lillustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the1 bottom 11 of the tray proper 12 ismadeupot a number or wires 13) attached to t-he frame 14 in any suitable manner, and suitably spaced xto provide apertures 11?. in the bottoni, the apertures being somewhat larger `than ,those in `the bottom oi .the receptacle 1, and. being adapted to receive a vplurality of, teeth 15of ythe combs, as 16. 'Eachendof the frame includes a .supplealong with their teeth clearing the bottom 1l'. vl/Vvhen thecombs have beenbrought op- I posite the slots they are dropped .thereingand lined, the teeth ot the combs `resting in the apertures 11a.

As. previously mentioned, in the .drawings the spacingand size of the teethrand of, the apertures in the bottom yare exaggerated with respect to the size of the frame, in orderY to avoidy lack ofclearness. In practice, one of the bays (Figo) or a single-bay re-` ceptacle (Figs. 1 and 6),..may convenientlyy beabout 7X1ll inches inside dimensions, and a comb may be about 11% inches in length and have 30 teeth.

Also, as, previously mentioned, the intro- .ducing and manipulation of the combsv may be varied. yFor example the initial separation .may be accomplished witlifoney of the end combs .instead ,of with the central comb, the bristles. may .beinitially combed. some- I. what before fixing them, and so on.

Although I have. described theinvention with more particular reference to the illustrated ap.paratus,.and have .described a. pre- '.lfer'red Way, of practicing themethod, ledo not .restrict the invention tosu'ch Yapparatus or to themethod `as preferably.practiced.N

Having thus described, my. invention what l claim is i Y 1, In adrying tray for bristles andsimis oA Cil

-lar articles, a receptacle element for directly and immediately receiving the articles, and an element insertable in said directly receiving receptacle element for performing the separation of said articles as they lie in the receptacle element to thereby separate said articles into groups, said insertable element having a device located for insertion between said articles to accomplish said separation.

2. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle element for directly and immediately receiving the articles, and an element receivable in and movable in said directly receiving receptacle element and having a device located for insertion betrveen said articles as they lie in the receptacle element to thereby separate said articles into groups.

3. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle element for directly and immediately receiving the articles, and an element receivable in and movable in said directly receiving receptacle element and having a device located for insertien betweenk said articles as they lie in the receptacle element to thereby separate said articles into groups, there being provisions for the fixing of said elements With respect to each other.

et. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle for directly and immediately receiving the articles, and a comb insertable in said receptacle and having a tooth located for performing the separation ot said articles into groups as they lie in said receptacle.

5. In a drying tray 'for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle for the articles and comprising a trame having a bottom provided With a plurality of apertures, and a positioning-separator insertable in said frame and having an element located for separating the articles into groups as they lie Within said frame and upon said bottom, and for fixing them as separa-ted.

6. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle Jfor the articles and comprising a iframe having a bottom provided vvith a plurality of apertures, and a plurality of cooperating positioning-separators insertable in said trame and each having @n element located for separating the articles into groups as they lie Within said frame and upon said bottom, and for fixing them as separated.

7. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, a receptacle for the articles, and a comb receivable in said receptacle for separating said articles into groups as they lie in said receptacle, said comb being movable in said receptacle thereby to provide for the combing of said articles.

S. In a drying tray tor bristles and similar articles, a receptacle element for the articles and a comb element receivable iu said receptacle element for separating said articles inte groups as they lie in said receptacle element, said comb element being movable in said receptacle element thereby to provide lor the combing of said articles, there being provisions vlor the fixing et' said elements with respect to cach other.

9. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, an open lrame having a bottom provided with a plurality of apertures, and a comb movable in said frame, the teeth ot' said comb and the apertures oit said bottom being relatively located and dimensioned to provide for the insertion of said teeth into certain ot said apertures.

10. In a drying tray for bristles and similar articles, an open frame having a bottom provided with a plurality of apertures. and a plurality of combs movable in said trame with respect to said frame and to each other, the teeth of said combs and the apertures of said bottom being relatively located and dirnensioned to provide for the insertion of said teeth into certain ot said apertures.

lil. In a tray tor drying bristles and similar' articles, a receptacle tor the articles comprising an open frame having a bottom provided with a plurality of apertures, and a comb provided with a tooth-row of a length permitting the insertion of said row Within the confines ot` said frame' thereby to provide for the insertion of said teeth between the articles upon said bottom to divide them into groups, said bottom being tree from upstanding obstructions normally preventing free movement of said comb to and fro in said iframe, thereby to permit combing movement ot said comb.

l2. In a tray for drying bristles and similar articles, a receptacle for the articles comprising an open frame having a bottom provided with a plurality of apertures, and a comb provided with a tooth-row of a length permitting the insertion ot said row within the contines of said trame thereby to provide for the insertion of said teeth between the articles upon said bottom to divide them into groups, said bottom being free from upstanding obstructions normally preventing free movement ot said comb to and tro in said trame, thereby to permit combing movement of said comb, and there being means for optionallyxing said comb in position in said receptacle.

13. The method of drying bristles and similar articles which comprises placing the articles upon a suitable support, combing said articles to separate them into a number of small tufts and to straighten them, fixing the position of the so separated and straightened articles upon said support, and

subie-ting the. articles to the notion of a drying inediurn `while they are so separated `and held upon saidsupport.

14. The method of drying bristles and sirnilzir articles which comprises placing` the articles uponii suitable support, beginning fthe separation of said articles into a number oil small groups, fixing the position of the articles on said support, combing the theposition; of the straightened articles upon said suppo`rt,fand subjecting the articles to thenotlonof a drying-medium While they zueso positioned, grouped and held straight 15 upon said support.

In testimony, whereof I alim; my signature.

EARL B. SCOTT. 

